AN Ellesmere Port man's attempt to rob a petrol station was foiled when a quick-thinking assistant trapped him inside the premises.

And the bungling would-be thief this week began a three-and-a-half year jail term.

Brendan Fitzpatrick, of Enfield Road, Ellesmere Port, pleaded guilty to trying to empty the till at the Shell Garage on Station Road in the town.

Appearing before Chester Crown Court, the 32-year-old admitted charges of robbery and criminal damage, in addition to an attempted house burglary in Chester.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting, told how on July 8 at around 12.30am, Fitzpatrick had entered the petrol station and asked the attendant, Gareth Coulson, for a packet of cigarettes.

CCTV footage captured him going in and making a grab for the till when it was opened. He picked up a stainless steel cup holder to fend off the assistant.

But the brave cashier managed to remove all the notes while the raider only got £21 in loose change.

When the alarm was raised the doors of the premises automatically shut, locking the culprit it. Fitzpatrick then pleaded with the shop assistant to let him out, but he refused.

Attempts were made to smash a way out using a step-ladder, but these were unsuccessful.

In an interview with police Fitzpatrick made a full confession, but said he had not gone there with the intention of committing the offence, but had only gone in for cigarettes.

Fitzpatrick also admitted carrying out an attempted burglary on Garden Lane, Chester, three days before the petrol station incident.

The court was told that Fitzpatrick had been attempting to break into a house but had disturbed the occupant.

The woman saw Fitzpatrick's hands coming through a bathroom window and managed to slam the window shut on him. Blood recovered from the scene matched his DNA profile.

Brian Treadwell, defending, said Fitzpatrick had been drinking on both occasions.

He said that on July 8 his client had gone in for cigarettes and had simply reacted and made a grab for the till when it was opened. He had tried to wedge the till open with the cup holder, rather than using it as a weapon.

'The offence seems not to have been premeditated. He has not taken any weapon nor made an attempt to conceal himself,' said Mr Treadwell.

The court heard that the father of two children has a problem with drink.

Sentencing him, Judge Roger Dutton gave credit for his early guilty plea but said the public and garage workers needed protection from this type of incident.

He told Fitzpatrick: 'You went in there and confronted that young male member of staff who throughout acted with enormous courage and common sense.'